Each year, approximately 60 new patents are issued by the U.S. Patent Office for USDA inventions. The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) transfers these inventions through licenses to the private sector for commercialization. Below are links to technologies that are available for licensing. Please contact OTT licensing staff for more information on a specific invention.

A NEW TOLERANT YEAST PRODUCING BETA-GLUCOSIDASE FOR LOW-COST CELLULOSIC ETHANOL PRODUCTION USING SSF

The USDA developed a new yeast that naturally produces beta-glucosidase and ethanol so no beta-glucosidase needs to be added to complete a one-step simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) for cellulosic ethanol production.

Bio-energy

55.11

ETHERS AS RENEWABLE OILS, GREASES, AND LIQUID FUELS

The invention is a method for converting renewable, agriculture-based sugars and polyols (alcohols) into their corresponding methyl and/or ethyl ethers.

Bio-energy

265.12

METHODS FOR PRODUCING BIO-OIL

The invention involves methods for producing bio-oil from a feedstock (e.g., lignocellulosic) involving (1) pyrolyzing the feedstock in an inert atmosphere in a reactor to produce bio-oil, bio-char and non-condensable gases; (2) recycling about 10 to about 99% of the non-condensable gases to the reactor to produce deoxygenated bio-oil; wherein the method is conducted in the absence of oxygen and wherein the method does not utilize externally added catalysts.

Bio-energy

127.11

METHODS FOR TREATING LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS

This invention is a new process to pre-treat lignocellulose so that it becomes a more desireable feedstock for making cellulosic ethanol.

Bio-energy

121.04

SPRIAL-WOUND LIQUID MEMBRANE MODULE FOR SEPARATION OF FLUIDS AND GASES

The present invention is a filtering and chemical separation device that performs the operations of solvent extraction and pervaporation in a single piece of equipment, configured as a spiral-wound membrane module, and provides for the replenishment of the solvent in the supported liquid membrane while the module continues in operation.It provides a solution to the problem of separating miscible compounds efficiently and with low energy requirements.